Monohydric alcohol-free transparent moisturizing bar soap with plastic packaging mold

Abstract

A monohydric alcohol-free, transparent, moisturizing bar soap having a high humectant solvent content. The formulation includes: (i) from about 38% to about 96% of one or more humectant solvents and (ii) from about 3% to about 20% of insoluble and/or soluble fatty acid soaps, with at least about 3% insoluble fatty acid soap. The weight ratio of humectant solvent to insoluble fatty acid soap ranges from about 3:1 to about 23:1. The bar soap has a standardized wear rate of less than about 15% and a hardness of from about 30 to about 100 hardness units. The transparent solid bar soap may be manufactured by a “hot pour” process with conventional batch mixing equipment designed for relatively moderate temperatures; accordingly, the bar soap may be packaged for final consumer use in the mold in which it was formed.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
       1. A method for manufacturing and shipping a soap bar comprising: 
       forming a homogeneous liquid mixture including greater than about 55% humectant solvent and no added monohydric alcohol;  
       transferring the homogeneous liquid mixture to a packaging mold including an interior having a three-dimensional image disposed therein to form a soap bar reflectively incorporating the three-dimensional image; and  
       shipping the soap bar in the packaging mold.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the packaging mold is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  comprising cooling the homogeneous liquid mixture. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the homogeneous liquid mixture is cooled at ambient temperature. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3  wherein the homogeneous liquid mixture is cooled with refrigeration. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3  wherein the homogeneous liquid mixture congeals at about 40° C. to about 70° C. 
     
     
       7. A method for manufacturing a transparent soap bar having no added alcohol comprising: 
       forming a homogeneous liquid mixture including one or more fatty acid soaps and one or more humectant solvents, the humectant solvents present in an amount greater than about 55%;  
       transferring the homogeneous liquid mixture to a mold or a tray; and  
       cooling the homogeneous mixture to form a transparent solid soap bar having a standardized wear rate of less than about 15% and a hardness of about 30 to about 100 hardness units wherein the mold or tray is the final packaging of the solid soap bar.  
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the homogeneous mixture includes from about 3% to about 20% of one or more fatty acid soaps, wherein the amount of insoluble fatty acid soap is at least about 3%. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7  comprising maintaining the temperature of the homogeneous liquid mixture at or below about 85° C. during the forming step. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7  wherein the weight ratio of humectant solvent to insoluble fatty acid soap ranges from about 3:1 to about 23:1. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7  comprising shipping the transparent soap bars in the mold or tray. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7  comprising maintaining the temperature of homogeneous liquid mixture at from about 2° C. to about 14° C. above the congealing point of the mixture during the transferring step. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 7  wherein the mold or tray includes an inlet through which the homogeneous liquid mixture is poured. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  wherein the mold or tray includes opposed first and second forms, the first form having a first periphery, the second form having a second periphery, the first periphery being partially sealed to the second periphery whereby the homogeneous liquid mixture is prevented from leaking out from the mold or tray. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein the first and second forms are hinged together along a portion of the first and second peripheries. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein the mold or tray may be hingedly opened by a consumer. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  comprising shipping the soap bar in the mold or tray. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 7  further comprising de-aerating the homogeneous liquid mixture. 
     
     
       19. A method for forming and packaging a transparent soap bar comprising: 
       forming a homogeneous liquid mixture at or below about 85° C. including a humectant solvent in an amount of from about 38% to about 96%;  
       transferring the homogeneous liquid mixture to a plastic packaging mold to fill the packaging mold, the mold including a three-dimensional interior conforming to the exterior of a whole soap bar; and  
       cooling the transferred homogeneous liquid mixture in the mold to form a transparent solid soap bar.  
     
     
       20. A soap bar conforming substantially to three-dimensional interior surfaces of a mold in which the soap bar is packaged, made by the process comprising: 
       forming a homogeneous liquid mixture including a humectant solvent in an amount of from about 38% to about 96%;  
       pouring the homogeneous liquid mixture into a mold to completely fill the mold whereby the homogeneous liquid mixture conforms to the three-dimensional interior surface features of the mold; and  
       cooling the homogeneous liquid mixture to form a soap bar packaged in the mold in which the soap bar is formed.